Well this is my first post and any assistance would be appreciated. I have only just joined so my apologies if I go over old ground, but I want to tap into everyones' knowledge. My father has just found his father's Second World War - Soldier's Service and Pay Book. It states that he enlisted on the 15th September 1939 and was found to be A1 fit for overseas service. I then found an entry on 07th August 1942, signed by a Medical Examiner which states "Rawalpindi (India)" which I understand is in modern day Pakistan. The Will part of the book at the end is signed by my Grandfather with his rank and regiment as GNR. 73rd Medium Reg R.A. 14th March 1940. It seems that after the war he was stationed in East Berlin in 1946. Does anyone have information on what happened or why he was sent to Rawalpindi? or what happened to regiment on its was from 1940 - 1942? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Andrew
Hi Andrew, 73rd Medium was Home Forces until Oct 1941. 73 Medium Rgt was formed into the 95th Anti Tank Rgt in October 1941. In Dec 1941, the 95th was sent to North Africa, BUT "A" Battery served with 7th Armoured Brigade in Burma. This I would imagine where the connection with Rawalpindi would occur. In April 1944, the 95th A/T reverted back to being the 73rd Medium once again, and served in Italy. Hoping this is right, and if so, maybe the Burma experts can help further about "A" battery. Mike
Hi Welcome I found this on the 73rd- http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/med/page36.html no mention of India? Even this - http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/atk/page52.html no mention. You probably need to get his service records, from here - http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html He may have been posted around. Also the regiments war diaries are at National Archives and also Firepower - http://www.firepower.org.uk/ and there are 4 references in this lot- http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/s/res?_aq=73+medium+regiment&_ep=&_or1=&_or2=&_or3=&_nq1=&_nq2=&_nq3=&_sd=1940&_ed=1946&_col=0&_sw=ref&_cr1=wo&_cr2=&_cr3=&_ps=15&_ro=any&_rd=&_rsd=&_red=&_fr=&_st=adv regards Robert
Hi Mike and Robert Thank you very much for the responses. I will try and get a copy of his record as it would appear that his journey from joining in 1939 and staying on in Germany post 1945 seems like an interesting one. I found a document online which talks about the British 8th Army. In a section titles "Elements, 5th Indian Division", listed under artillery the 73rd Medium Regiment are mentioned. This document was dated 10 December 1941. So I guess he could have ended up in Rawalpindi on his way to or way back from Burma.
I know there is something confusing here, and we had this one before. 73 Medium left England on 2 August 41 and arrived at Port Tewfik on 30 September 41. It became 73 Anti-Tank Regiment the day after. It was then renamed into 95 Anti-Tank Regiment at some point in the future. A Battery was with this regiment throughout, as far as I can tell. All the best Andreas
On re-reading, and after my first coffee, here's the sequence of events as I see it. 1) 73 Medium is Home Forces until end of July 41 2) 2 August to 29 September it is transferred to Egypt 3) On arrival in Egypt it becomes 73 Anti-Tank Rgt, a 4-battery regiment 4) It participates in CRUSADER, C battery being detached to Oasis Force until January 42 5) In December it is renamed 95 AT Regt. 6) Also in December 7 Armoured Brigade is prepared to be sent to Burma with two regiments of M3 Stuart tanks 7) From what you write it appears that A Battery was attached to it for this move, but this only happened in January. On 26 December it was the last battery left with the regiment, and at Derna. So it appears that your grandfather had the pleasure of fighting Herr Rommel for six weeks or so before being sent to an even balmier climate. So he would have been entitled to the Africa Star. 7 December was probably the worst day of his North Africa experience. I'll look through the war diary to see if I can see anything specific regarding A Battery. Presume his name was also Williams? All the best Andreas
Hi Andreas Thank you very much for that information. Yes I was wondering if he did fight Rommel, I imagined that there were great losses on both sides. My grandfather's name was Douglas George Williams, a welshman from Bangor in North Wales. I managed to find some information on the internet about a chap called Philip Teeside who I believe at some point could of led the 95th and then the 73rd. Information below: Notes for Philip Herbert Teesdale, D.S.O., M.C., R.A., Col: Captain Philip Herbert Teesdale, mentioned in despatches, "London Gazette," 4th January 1917, and Lord Haig's despatch 16th March 1919, M.C. Royal Military Academy - Gentleman cadet 2nd Lieutenant 18 July, 1913 RGA Served in France during the Great War and was wounded in 1917. Hospitalized for a short period of time he returned to active service in January 1918. Military Cross 1919. He was seconded to the Mountain Artillery with the Indian Army in India in 1920. He passed staff College, Quetta in 1928. 1939 he assumed regimental duties and in 1942 served with a Field Regiment. He was badly wounded in North Africa whilst commanding the Field Regiment in the Knightsbridge Battles and, following the retreat to the Alamein Line he was given the task of reforming 95th Anti Tank Regiment which had been badly mauled at Gazala. He remained in this command until mid 1943, was promoted Colonel and given command of B-Anti Tank Group, consisting of five regiments, the role of which was, in the event of the fall of Stalingrad, to proceed to Turkey and form an Anti Tank screen in an endeavour to protect the oilfields. He retired after the war finally settling in Seavington, near Ilminster, in Somerset. Upon the death of his wife he lived out his span with his son, Cdr Ian Teesdale R.N. at Babcary, Somerset. Known fondly as "Tees" by his fellow officers, he was highly respected by all members of 95th Anti Tank Regiment which later became the 73rd Medium Regiment. "Tees" died 1976. Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) Military Cross (M.C.) Again any assistance on finding out more about my grandfather, the 73rd Medium Regiment and 95th Anti-tank Regiment would be very much appreciated. Andrew
Also found this on http://www.desertrats.org.uk/bde/7thABunits.htm#95AT The 95th Anti-tank Regiment (TA) was formed from 73rd Med Regiment RA, in October 1941. It served in the UK until moving to North Africa in December 1941. In 1942, A Battery served with 7th Armoured Brigade in Burma. In January 1943 it served with the 9th Army on Palestine, before becoming 73rd Med Regiment RA again in April 1944. As 73rd Med Regiment RA it then moved to Italy as part of the 8th Army in October 1944, until the end of the war.
Hello and welcome to the forum. I would definitely apply for a copy of his service records, they will list all the units he served with, when and where he was with them. Armed with this info you can then plot where he went and what his unit(s) did. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence/about/publication-scheme#how-to-apply-for-records-of-service-of-deceased-service-personnel Good luck Andy
